


Day Nine: Buried Alive

by OBlossom



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Attempted Sexual Assault, Found Family, Happy Hogan is a Good Bro, Homelessness, Hurt May Parker (Spider-Man), Hurt/Comfort, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Tony Stark Has A Heart, sexual assault aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:27:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29310306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OBlossom/pseuds/OBlossom
Summary: May showed up at the tower with two boxes of family photos, what was left of her jewellery box and mementos she’d had hidden at the back of her closet. She’d called up to the penthouse from the lobby, told Tony that they were some items of Peter’s that had been forgotten in her haste to be stored away, and left.Tony needed to find her Peter and bring him home. He didn’t have time for this—She’d be fine.
Relationships: May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138958
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Day Nine: Buried Alive

**Author's Note:**

> ** TRIGGER WARNING: Attempted Sexual Assault and the aftermath!
> 
> Please be careful.
> 
> -Colleen xo

Day 9: buried alive

**Trigger Warning: Attempted Sexual Assault & Aftermath**

She had tried to manage, but in the end...

The Blip had been awful for most everyone... and especially for May who was still mourning her Ben on top of it all.

But May knew that Tony was working on it and so she kept her problems to herself and sucked it up. Her Esposito pride demanded it of her.

Rather than fixate on the loss, May focussed on work to keep herself busy, but most importantly, to keep herself sane. It didn’t hurt that this would put her in a better place financially. Hell, maybe she could tuck away a really good check or two so that she could give Peter a really great Christmas.

May hadn’t counted on Tony taking so long.

And she hadn’t counted on the disproportionate number of doctors and nurses that had been left behind compared to the sick. Yes, the initial influx of patients as a result of The Blip had been horrendous. Driverless cars striking pedestrians, plane crashes, and all of those too small, haunted children left alone by loving but unwillingly taken parents had caused an overload to the healthcare system that took weeks to resolve.

It was a macabre boon that kept May in the black for months—and then it was gone.

As the world settled into its bleak new existence, May struggled.

Rather than coming together as communities helping and supporting each other, the rich worked to become richer and the poor stayed that way. And those unfortunate enough to be caught in the middle and struggling from paycheque to paycheque? Well—increases in utility rates, transportation costs, gas, groceries, and even rent, all to make up for the lost were too much...

It was all too much.

When May’s hours were slashed—to say they’d been cut would be kind—she’d panicked, but still had the surplus from just after The Blip. She would be okay. She’d be fine... she kept trying to convince herself.

It was when the disconnection notice from the electric company came that May broke down, finally called Tony (because he loved Peter, too)... and lied.

“Yeah, Tony, I know you’re here for me. It’s just so lonely here without...” May cleared her throat, fending off another breakdown. That much was true. “It’s empty here, and I need someone else around,” she explained. 

“May, I’m glad to hold onto Peter’s things, you know that. I’m just... hang on,” Tony covered the phone and spoke to someone else before coming back. “Hey, May? Pepper says that I’m a dumbass and should be reminding you that you have a place here, if you want.” It was his turn to clear his throat. “We have empty apartments and can get you set up in a flash.”

May visualized just that and snickered, but shook her head to herself, “Tony, you’re all so busy trying to fix this mess. I’m fine out here. The apartment is close to work and... ” 

Tony sighed, and May wondered if he knew the truth. “Alright, May. I understand.” Even if he did, he followed her lead. “But if anything changes, you’d better call, Mrs. Parker. I will not be happy if your nephew is mad at me for not taking care of his unusually attractive aunt once he gets back, you hear me?”

“Yeah,” she croaked out. “I hear you.”

May silently promised herself that she would never call him.

Tony had a moving truck at her apartment and any evidence of Peter wiped from the place within an hour once they’d agreed upon a time.

Breanna moved in the following Saturday.

Per their month-to-month roommate agreement, May and Breanna would each stick to their own spaces. Use of the common areas like the kitchen, living room, and bathroom would be scheduled. They’d buy their own groceries, cook their own food. It would be odd getting used to sharing a space with a stranger, but she’d do it to survive. 

— If May could survive Breanna.

Breanna, it seemed, was not the type of person May would want in her home—or anywhere in her vicinity. When May’s food starting disappearing, she bit her tongue. Milk was milk, right? Yes, it was chilly and she couldn’t blame her for smoking out the window instead of going outside. The boyfriend made her skin crawl, if she was being honest. But then the vase that her mother had brought her from Italy had disappeared and Breanna played dumb. “I don’t know what vase you mean. Are you sure it was there?” She’d asked May, all wide-eyed and innocent.

May decided in that moment. Breanna had to leave. She’d talk to Breanna after her one shift that week, post the advertisement for a new roommate on the hospital’s community bulletin board, and hope that she did better with the next one.

And then— 

Ben’s wedding band and watch disappeared.

— The only remembrances of his that she’d allowed herself to keep, the band for her, simply to remember; the watch she’d held onto to gift to Peter on his wedding day.  
And then her heart ached as she thought about Peter.

And Breanna wouldn’t leave.

Still overburdened police deemed it all a civil dispute, though when theft became a civil matter, May would never know. Her landlord had been blipped so a nameless management corporation was her only recourse—and the reason she was currently packing. Apparently there were rules about having roommates without management approval. She hadn’t thought about it in her desperation, but they were right. She’d violated her lease and now had until month’s end to vacate the premises.

She thought about calling Tony, but then remembered that he was working to get Peter back and she couldn’t distract him from the task. No. She could do this. She’d get a studio apartment, something small—it didn’t even have to be nice. When Tony got Peter back, Peter could stay with Tony while May looked for something bigger and then they’d be a family again.

It would work.

While the Esposito pride had obviously done her no favors, the kicking in of the Parker Luck had made sure she was down for the count.

Studio apartments were impossible to find. Of course she wouldn’t have been the only person downsizing after the decimation of their entire damned family. Even rooms to rent were elusive. She wasn’t looking for a palace, but it needed to be clean, and the ones that were available were bedbug and flea infested. She couldn’t realistically work at the hospital and live in a place like that. 

She didn’t know what she was going to do. 

She had until the end of the week to be out of her home and she had no plan. 

And Breanna had decided, in her rage at the injustices in HER life, to trash the apartment. 

There went the security deposit.

Dammit.

Two days later, May showed up at the tower with two boxes of family photos, what was left of her jewellery box and mementos she’d had hidden at the back of her closet. She’d called up to the penthouse from the lobby, told Tony that they were some items of Peter’s that had been forgotten in her haste to be stored away, and left.

Tony needed to find her Peter and bring him home. He didn’t have time for this—

She’d be fine.

The next day, May packed a backpack with one extra pair of sneakers, six sets of scrubs (thank goodness the cotton was so thin!), two pairs of jeans, three t-shirts, six pairs of socks and underwear and a bra. She threw two sweaters on over the long sleeved t-shirt she was wearing and prayed that this wouldn’t be forever. She pulled her purse across her body, the backpack across her back, and took one last look at the remains of what used to be a home—her home. She wiped away tears of grief and sadness, opened the door and walked out into the unknown.

* * * * * *

May had spent that first night at a women’s shelter—and then the next night—and the next. 

Initially, she figured she’d at least have a place to safely sleep, but that first night had remedied her of the idea. Sleep was near impossible when one was crammed into a room with forty-nine other women while cameras monitored you and security guards performed bed checks every thirty minutes. All of this, of course, was happening while you clutched every single possession you own in a crappy backpack as though your life depends on it. 

She’d thought maybe this would be okay, as exhausted as she was, she was still out of the elements, and the nights were getting colder—but then they turned her away.

“I’m sorry, but we adhere to a strict 3/7 policy. There are so many in need that we can only allow you to stay for a maximum three nights per week. If you present this card, you’ll be able to stay again next Saturday night.” The woman had explained to her while handing her something that looked like a punch card. “I think the Salvation Army’s Women’s Center might have space this evening if you hurry?” 

May gave an exhausted smile and left. What was the point to arguing? The Women’s Center was across the city, if she remembered correctly, and May had to work a shift tomorrow at 10am. City buses had been unreliable before The Blip. There was no way she could count on it if she wanted to get to work on time from that far away. 

She’d figure something out.

She’d been walking for an hour or so when she came upon the 24-hour laundromat and her heart leapt. A few bucks for a too small load of laundry and a couple of hours to close her eyes in a warm, safe place was absolutely worth it. She clutched the straps of her backpack and crossed the street. A chime sounded as she pulled the door open, alerting a completely uninterested attendant in the back office of her entry. He took a quick look at her, nodded in acknowledgement and shut the door, apparently not wanting to be bothered. May was okay with that... she didn’t want to be bothered either.

She found her way to the back corner and put her few days worth of clothing into the machine. She needed soap, but decided to forgo simply so she wouldn’t have to bother the attendant. She started it up, and went to move her chair further into the corner, noticing the empty electrical outlet beside her intended destination. 

Huh.

She hadn’t thought about her phone since that day in the lobby and suddenly realized how careless that had been. What if Tony had found something? He’d need to get ahold of her and she could only imagine that her phone was dead after four days. She fished it and the charger out of her purse and plugged it into the wall. She was so tired. The screen flashed to life. That was all May needed to see before placing it on the floor next to her chair.

She wrapped her sweater tighter around her, keeping out of sight so she could close her eyes without interruption. 

The gentle swish of the washer water coupled with the quiet of the room quickly lulled May into sleep.

* * * * * *

She had slept through several calls and texts on her accidentally silenced but now charged phone.

She had slept through the whispered plotting as the night attendant had called his friends and then locked the front door to prevent interruption after they’d arrived.

She had slept through the quiet high-fives as the men worked themselves up into a predatory lather.

The hand suddenly clamping over her mouth is what pulled her from her rest.

May started fighting back before she even knew who the enemy was. Legs were lashing out and fists flew as she tried to get away from the hands grabbing and tugging and pulling at her clothes and limbs.

She was lifted off her seat, being brought into the back—no witnesses to be made of people walking by on the street and looking in that way, she thought. 

She didn’t want to die.

She twisted, arched her back, bit at the hands confining her. 

She needed to be here when Peter got back.

A fist flew—she saw stars.

“Dumb bitch bit me!” One of her assailants whined.

Good.

Another called out, “Just do it here. No one can see!”

There were words of agreement and hands released her, dropped her. Her head cracked against the hard linoleum floor—more stars.

She felt hands at her waistband, felt air on her legs...

Heard the sound of someone banging on the front window.

But they’re too far back. No witnesses.

Someone grabbed her arm and dragged her- her skin feeling more of the slide of faux tile and then drag of bare concrete. 

She was further back. No witnesses.

She heard the sound of glass shattering.

“Tony! Her phone tracked her here! I thought I saw something toward the back! May?! Where are you!?”

And then she was being buried—God help her! Were they burying her alive!? She didn’t understand it and the world was muffled and warm and dark and her head hurt so bad.

She heard the repulsor blast, though.

“Tony! Back here!” Happy called back. 

And he was digging her out of wherever she was and the world was spinning and she just couldn’t anymore.

Her body cooled.

“Oh, no.” Happy groaned and then called out again, “They were trying to hide her, Tony! She’s back here by all the industrial machines!” he mumbled some more. “Tried to hide her under filthy fuckin’ laundry.”

She thought she heard one of them whining, “but she’s just a homeless bitch...” but knew for certain that she’d heard the repulsor blast again.

And then she knew no more.

* * * * * * 

The sound of quiet chatter is what woke May up.

She opened her eyes immediately and then realized what a mistake it was. Holy shit, did her head hurt.

Heels clicked against the tiled floor... not linoleum and...

Not linoleum?! Her eyes flew open and she rushed up, grabbing her head and groaning in pain even as she moved to get off the bed she’d been laying upon. 

Soft hands pushed her gently back into the bed while whispering assurances. “You’re safe now, May,” and “You’re alright.”

She fought still, weakly, but she needed to stay alive for Peter. She had to... 

“Yes, May, you stayed safe for Peter. You did such a good job, sweetheart.” A hand brushed through her hair, soothing her.

“What?” May opened her eyes, squinting, and saw her, “Pepper?”

“Hey, stranger. Are you calm now?” Pepper smiled softly.

May looked around her, still confused, but recognizing the same med bay that had hosted her hero nephew countless times before. She took a couple of deep breaths and blinked a couple of times, trying to clear her head. “Yeah,” she whispered and then cleared her throat. “Yeah, um, what happened?”

May recognized Dr. Cho as she walked up to her bedside.  
“I can answer that, May.” She put her hand on May’s arm to assure her. “But first, I need to know-- how much do you remember?”

Pepper quietly left the room to give the women some privacy.

May remembered everything. She shuddered but mustered up her nerve and, with only a surprising sense of calm, relayed the events of what she guessed was the night before.

“You’re right, it was last night,” Dr. Cho confirmed for her. “After Tony and Mr. Hogan secured your safety, they requested a medical team to the site, where you were stabilized and transported here.” 

She stopped to make sure May wasn’t being overwhelmed. Seeing that she was as okay as could be expected, she continued. “We diagnosed a moderate concussion, dehydration and low iron—those two were obviously a problem before last night, but we’ve been monitoring the concussion, and gave you a couple of bags of saline and performed an iron infusion to make you more comfortable.” 

Dr. Cho pulled up a rolling stool and sat close to May’s head. “And because we could not ascertain the extent of last night’s assault and the type of bruising we discovered upon visual examination, I did perform a rape kit while you were unconscious. We assumed that you would appreciate expedience in the event that we needed to administer antibiotics or any other medications.” She paused again. “There was no evidence of any type of sexual interference, and we ran tissue samples to confirm.” She reached up and grasped May’s hand. “You were not raped.”

May nodded her head in understanding.

“Physically, you will heal relatively quickly. You’ll need to take at least a couple of days off of work. Your eye was a con—“

May lurched up off the bed. “Work! Oh, my goodness! What time is it? I have to go!” 

Dr. Cho was up and around to the other side of the bed where May was trying to stand. “May! Please! You need to rest!” She urged. “You’re still suffering from the effects of the concussion.”

May ignored her, taking a second to steady herself before looking around the room. “I need my bag.” Not seeing it, she looked pleadingly to Dr. Cho. “Please tell me someone grabbed my bag? – and my phone!”

“I’m not aware of any personal effects being brought up with you.” Dr. Cho could see May was upset, so she spoke softly, “Let me call Tony and see if he has what you’re looking for.” She urged May to lie back on the bed. “Just rest while I track him down and we’ll see what we can do.”

May allowed her to settle in the bed and practiced the breathing exercises she used to do with Peter when he’d get worked up. Tony would bring her bag so she could grab her scrubs and get to work and then everything would be fine. She looked at the clock on the wall—oh,no. It was after lunch already—but it was okay. She’d call and explain and everything would be okay. Yeah, it was all okay.

Tony came in while she was calming down. But it was okay. Everything would work out. She just needed her bag and her—

“I hear you ordered a phone, Ms. May.” Tony teased as he produced hers from his pocket. “It, uh, it seems that one of the, uh, assholes stepped on it last night. I checked to make sure it works. It does... except that you’re stuck using speakerphone... at least until an intern finds the time to bring me a new Starkphone for you.” 

She just smiled. “This is fine, Tony. I just need to...” She paused as she scrolled through her contacts. “I need to call my boss and tell her I’m on my way.” She looked up at Tony and gave him a wink.

See? If she wasn’t okay, she couldn’t do that, now could she?

Tony looked to Dr. Cho who stood with her arms crossed and shaking her head. 

Yeah, there was a problem there, but she’d deal with that later.

“Beverly Chalmers speaking,” an older, feminine voice answered the phone.

“Bev!” May called out. “I am so sorry that I’m late. I was—“ 

“May? Is that you?” her boss inquired.

“Yes, Bev, listen! I can be at work in twenty minutes and I can explain everything when I get there. That’s okay, right? You haven’t filled my shift, have you?”

There was no response from the other end of the line. “May, I hate to do this over the phone, but ‘no call- no show’ protocols have changed. With no real union representation and so many people available to work, if you fail to show for a scheduled shift, it is now cause for immediate dismissal.” The woman May had worked with for more than ten years sounded like she was reading off of a script.

And Tony and Dr. Cho had heard every word.

“Oh.”

Bev continued. “Your separation papers and final cheque will be mailed to the address we have on file in Human Resources.” She took a breath. “I am so sorry, May.”

And the call disconnected.

A thought came to May’s mind, “Wait!” she called out, but Bev was already gone. 

May frantically redialled. 

“May? Look, there’s nothing—“

“No! I know that, just can I pick it up? My paperwork and cheque. Can you hold it for me at the information desk or something? Please?”

“I’m pretty sure that it was completed and deposited at the mailroom within ten minutes of your shift starting. Management is full of pricks, May. I’m sorry.” And Bev disconnected once again.

May stared down at her phone for a full minute. 

No one said a word.

“Well, this has been an incredibly shitty couple of days, even if I do say so myself.” She chuckled.

Tony cleared his throat and looked awkwardly between her and Dr. Cho. “Would this be a good time to tell you that I know that you’re homeless then?”

May looked at him in disbelief. “Really, Tony?”

“Hey! I was worried when you dropped off the boxes! I went to check on you, but met Breanna instead. Lovely woman, and her boyfried, a real winner. Not really but I’m sure they’ll find someone to post bail eventually...”

May wouldn’t be able to keep up the facade much longer. “What are you talking about, Tony?”

Tony shrugged, “I may have had FRIDAY record them doing more damage to the items you left behind and the apartment itself. And, well, I’m Iron Man so the police pretty much do what I want... and she was such a bitch,” he rolled his eyes, “Sooo...”

She would never be quite sure what it was in that moment that struck her as so funny, but May started to laugh. She laughed hard enough that the pounding headache she’d tried to ignore amplified and the swelling under her eye throbbed and her belly ached with hunger and she was so, so tired...

And none of it was funny anymore.

And then she wept. She wept for all of those haunted children, and for Ben and for the ring he’d worn when he promised to love her forever and the watch that meant a legacy for a boy who was dust on some godforsaken planet she’d never see and all of those women who had nothing, just like she had nothing but pain and hurt and she was so alone.

And Tony... 

“I promise you, May,” Tony whispered as he held her protected in his Iron arms. “We will get our boy back—but you are not alone anymore.” 

And May hoped with all her heart that he was right.

**Author's Note:**

> Day Nine


End file.
